Pat Filien enters his third season as the associate head coach for the Air Force women's basketball team.

Prior to his arrival at the Academy, Filien spent 10 years in the America East Conference as a men's basketball assistant at The University at Albany and The University of Vermont, respectively. During his six-year tenure at Albany, the Great Danes won two conference championships and made a pair of NCAA appearances, nearly upsetting No. 1 overall seed UConn in the first round in 2006. He had additional duties with regard to player development, coordination of strength & conditioning and academics.

At Vermont from 2001-05, Filien was responsible for recruiting, scouting and skill development as a member of Tom Brennan's staff. The Catamounts enjoyed unparalleled success during his years with the program. Vermont made three NCAA Tournament appearances, captured three America East Conference championships and posted four consecutive 20-win campaigns.

Filien played a key role in the progress of forward Taylor Coppenrath, a three-time America East Player of the Year, as well as three-time first-team all-conference guard TJ Sorrentine, who led Vermont to a 25-7 overall record in 2004-05 and an NCAA Tournament first-round upset victory over Big East champion Syracuse.

A native of Queens, N.Y., Filien was a two-year starter at the College of Saint Rose, where he received a bachelor's degree in public communication in 1993. He was named to the All-ECAC-South second team as a senior, when the Golden Knights posted a 25-6 record and reached the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Filien began his coaching career at Southern Vermont College, where he worked from 1993-96. He then moved to Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania for two years, before a three-year stint at C.W. Post-Long Island in Brookville, N.Y.